Ariel Castro, Cleveland kidnapping suspect, indicted on 329 counts

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CLEVELAND - The man accused of kidnapping three Cleveland women and holding them captive in his Seymour Avenue house for a decade was indicted Friday on 329 counts.

Ariel Castro also faces two counts of aggravated murder for purposely causing the termination of a pregnancy, the prosecutor's office said. The 52-year-old's other counts include 139 counts of rape and 177 counts of kidnapping in the disappearances of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight.

This indictment only covers from August 2002 to February 2007. More charges could be filed.

After the indictment process is over, the prosecutor's capital review committee will decide whether to seek the death penalty.

"Today's indictments represent a first major step in the criminal justice process,'' said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty. "Our investigation continues, and we will present our findings to the grand jury.''

The women were found when Berry, who went missing in 2003, broke free from Castro's house with her daughter on May 6 thanks to neighbors and called police. When officers arrived, they discovered DeJesus and Knight.

Castro will be arraigned next week and a trial judge will be assigned, the prosecutor's office said.

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.